Review of Our Century College Forum

Here are the collected comments (and one of mine, below);

IMPROVEMENTS:

More information on how to get involved to improve the systemI would have liked the powerpoint from Mr. GrunewaldAction groups, have topics available to get people to sign up right awayMore microphones and personal testimoniesHandout the panel names and healthier snacks (fruit, whole wheat) Use the microphone better at the podiumCan you include actual examples of cases?More input from foster kids on what has helped along the way Have action groups actually started at the forum More publicity beforehand Microphone on both sides Improve more youth and/or foster/adopted children It was pretty general Increase the voice of those disenfranchised by the system-too many people who are a part of the system More time for questions Video tape it… Make it live Maybe a smaller panel or more time for questions Your charge is to build new tools materials and strategies for engaging other communities and making an impact beyond this group that is already educated and connected to these issues. LIKED Ron Bell’s voice on race was CRITICAl. Had he not been present, I would have been deeply concerned. The fact that he was invited and at the last minute is still concerning. Race must be addressed and not overlooked in such formats. Panelists were excellent Friendly, personal perspectives, purposeful Panel was great. Diversity of the panel Good presentations and panel Diversity of the panel, Rob, Jessica, Patti Everything Learning how many concerned and involved folks there are The Candid discussions about what REALLY affects this population I had a chance to speak Hearing from such a diverse panel The panel Good variety of specialties on the panel, great expertise and good to have audience asked and asking the questions. Great moderator Great panel Panel and audience questions Interaction, networking The varied approaches by the panel members The diverse panel and direct questions from the attendees Articulate panel members, diverse points of view Organizations, people on the panel MN ASAP Variety of panelists Meeting others that do work similar to me and are like minded and passionate Great group of people. I liked hearing from those who have seen through the system. The Panelists were fantastic I enjoyed it, keep it upWHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE ON THE PANEL NEXT TIME?Clyde Turner Social workers front line.. to see what dept/govt powers effect their ability to keep family together Mr. Coleman Erin Sullivan Sutton DHS Foundations like MCKnight County CommissionersMore community organizations Cultural providers network More foster care youth. Legislators/senators Center for Excellence on Children’s Mental HealthMore of the same.. social workers, examples of cases, nurses, (I think this writer wished for a clearer understanding of the roles of the parties in child protection)Social Worker that is working in the system currently Lawyer working within the system currently Need a follow up forumSocial worker providing services, more people of color, persons that are not “on board” different perspectives.WILL YOU PARTICIPATE IN A FUTURE FORUM?90% said yes 10% said possiblyQUESTIONS FOR FUTURE FORMS (AND ACTION GROUPS): How to activate the communityHow to do better with less, it is not realistic in these times to just say we need more early intervention, how do we do better with what we have (and assumed funding cuts)How can we fund child welfare prevention and early intervention(what to do) When the system not only Fails, but becomes the abuser to the childHow do we “market” our understanding to individuals, families, communities that are not aware or engaged? How to influence policy and how to get grassroots movements going Cultural issues. How can community make an impact? How to help young fathers and mothers better care for their children? How can we break the cycle How do we change juvenile justice and adult criminal justice from adversarial to recovery orientation?Help me identify resources for working with at risk kidsYOUR COMMENTS:Excellent, Good Job 55% rated it a 5 out of 5 against similar events you have attended, 39% a 5, and 6% a 3More economics. Such an important aspect of this work and how to “tell it” to our communities.good useful forumWhat is the outcome at the End of the forum What is the Call to Action beyond angst (is it just community awareness?)Nice JobTeachers who work with at risk kidsIs there a mechanism for controlling out of state adoption agencies? Thank you, I would love to see more of these forumsI wish that we would have had time to have small group discussionsThank youIt’s time for a collective voice to represent all the groups here today to lobby, inform, effect constructive change in attitudes and purpose in child raising….KIDS COUNTThe only response I have to the comments made above was the “on Board” comment.On board with what?Patti and Jessica gave very personal explanations of how their lives (and Patti’s four adopted children) were altered forever by the child welfare system. I don’t think it’s fair to say that they were “on board” at all.Ron Bell gave a clear indication that his community suffered immensely under current policies and he did not feel “on board”.If you listened closely to Judge Lefler, or know of his commitment to children in child protection, you would see that he works tirelessly for change and support for at risk youth.I’ve come to the conclusion over the years that most of the people in the system have hearts of gold, work passionately for the children they are trying to help, and equally hard to understand and bring compassion to the system that they are forced to work within.There is no alternative but to quit. They already don’t get enough resources to do the job or support for the work that they do.It is up to those of us that make up the community to support the policy makers that pass the laws and budgets that can make a positive impact on the youth we wish to help.If we don’t contact our policy makers and cast our vote with NO TAX candidates, there will be inadequate support for bridges, schools, early childhood programs, and children in need of protection.The point made by Rob Grunewald and the outcome of all the work he did studyingGrunewald.cfm (earlychildhoodrc.org) early childhood programs is that it costs way less money, not more money, for early intervention and early childhood development, than waiting to correct the problems of juvenile delinquency, early pregnancy, troubled schools, unsafe communities, and the great costs to our health care system..KARA’s core message is that taking care of children is the greatest investment a nation can make. Let’s those of us that know this take it out into the community.The final panel members were:1) David ThompsonRAMSEY COUNTY child protection manager: focus on policy development, new programming, technical assistance to counties and practice guidance.2) Ron BellHennepin County Social Worker Supervisor3) Patti HetrickAdoptive mother of four ChildrenORIGINAL PANEL MEMBERS4) Jessica Cimbura-Is a high school junior and a youth member of Our Voice Matter.5) Hennepin District Court Judge Herbert Lefler (12 years on the Juvenile Court)6) Rob Grunewald Federal Reserve Board member and coauthor of Early Childhood Development research published by the Federal Reserve Bank